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Did you know that more than 24% of the world’s internet population have tried or are currently using VPN services? One of the primary reasons is that people want to keep their anonymity while browsing online.

What is an IP address and why hide it?

IP addresses are individual numbers that identify network-connected devices, computers and phones, for example. They play an important role in facilitating a two-way communication with other devices while sending and receiving data. While doing so, they reveal information about the continent, the country and the city the device is in.

Masking your IP address will give you more anonymity while browsing and will protect you from being tracked by advertisers online. Moreover, by changing your location, you are able to access content from different regions as some websites only allow IP addresses from specific regions to view their content. Some schools, universities and companies will not allow you to access social media from their network; by hiding or changing your IP addresses, you can overcome firewalls. (Firewalls are network systems that restrict unauthorized access on private networks to and from selected websites, such as Facebook.)

How to change your IP address

By using web-based proxies or changing your network settings, the IP address can be changed. Another way to hide or change your IP address is to simply turn off your router for a couple of hours or contact your Internet service provider. This will not mask your location but you may simply be assigned a new address in the same country.

Using a VPN service is one of the fastest ways to hide your IP address and change your virtual location. The free VPN in Opera does not require a subscription and is unlimited. It uses a highly advanced AES-256 encryption that will block tracking cookies and make it difficult for websites to track your location.

When browsing in public networks at airports or cafés, you can become an easy target for hacking. By setting up a VPN, you can shield your activity from being sniffed by other people that are using the same network.

Opera’s VPN is also available for mobile phones; you can get our VPN app for iOS and Android.